It’s true: revision rhinoplasty may cost you more initially. As a long-term investment, however, it can be very rewarding. In fact, revision rhinoplasty surgery in NJ can be life improving, self-esteem restoring and anxiety reducing.

Like most investments though, you have to do research and make considered decisions – and having an expert on your side is crucial. There are a handful of top revision rhinoplasty specialists in the Northeast; search out the best one for you and your investment will be a safe and successful one.

Why would revision rhinoplasty cost more than my primary nasal surgery?

Secondary rhinoplasty may have a higher price because it:

  • Takes longer to perform, perhaps 4 to 6 hours, resulting in higher surgery center costs.
  • Typically requires general anesthesia, rather than local. That means more monitoring and adjustments during surgery, by a highly qualified anesthesiologist.
  • Requires a high skill level, evidenced by board certified in both general and plastic surgery.
  • Necessitates mastery of time-tested surgical methods along with knowledge of the latest techniques, such as a surgeon affiliated with a university hospital or teaching hospital.
  • Requires more than 5 years of experience, to acquire techniques that are effective in the many types of rhinoplasty correction scenarios.
  • Entails in-depth knowledge of facial anatomy; ideally a reconstructive surgeon.
  • Requires precise and meticulous surgical technique. (Take a look at photos of the surgeon’s work, and even meet or talk with past patients in a similar situation to yours, to help you assess this.)
  • Should be performed by a surgeon with a sense of aesthetics and artistry. (You will get evidence of this by talking with the surgeon about your case and viewing past work.)
  • Requires advanced planning skills to achieve desired, attractive and predictable results.
  • Takes advanced communication skills to make sure the surgeon understands what the patient wants and can explain the expected outcome clearly.
  • Also requires excellent surgical judgment to deal with complications.
  • Requires dedication to see you through the experience, support your healing and follow up. (Actually, the dedication part doesn’t cost more, but it can be rare. It may cost you time to find, but will be worth it.)

Why should I wait a whole year after my initial rhinoplasty to get a revision?

Inflammation may mean that you have not yet seen the final result. It takes many months and beyond for the last of the surgery-related inflammation to disappear, although individual patients differ greatly in amount of swelling and duration. When swelling is still present, your nose will look larger than the final result, especially at the tip. In addition, swelling is not always completely symmetrical, so if the sides of the nose look different or if the nose appears a bit off center, it may be due to swelling. Minor breathing problems may be due to residual swelling, too, requiring no additional surgery. Waiting also allows scars to soften and become easier to work with in a revision procedure, if needed.

Are the results of a corrective rhinoplasty predictable?

When you select an experienced surgeon for revision rhinoplasty in NJ, he or she will be able to tell you if the results you have in mind are achievable. Your surgeon can tell you how close to your ideal nose (as you have described it) you can get. Your surgeon should not agree to perform surgery if he or she determines that the potential problems outweigh any benefit you will receive.

There are always some aspects that are out of your surgeon’s control and out of your control, however. The sheer number of variables involved makes predicting the outcome with complete accuracy, in all situations, impossible. Despite the complexity, experienced and skilled revision rhinoplasty surgeons can provide predictable and consistent results.

How do rhinoplasty surgeons evaluate my risk profile?

Your new surgeon will evaluate your skin elasticity, blood supply to the area, amount of tissue left to work with, scar tissue and other details to determine whether you are a candidate and can benefit from a revision rhinoplasty surgery. Your medical history and overall health are also considerations. If you have diabetes or uncontrolled blood pressure, this can add risk, or even make you not a candidate for the revision rhinoplasty procedure.

If your revision rhinoplasty surgery poses additional risk, your NJ surgeon will explain the possible complications to you and will also discuss rare risks so that you are completely informed. In some cases, the surgeon will recommend against surgery or suggest you postpone surgery to lower risks. For instance, you may be asked to quit smoking, permanently if possible, or at least for a few months around your surgery.

How do surgeons deal with complications in revision rhinoplasty?

As an example, you may have a genetic predisposition to swelling (a severe inflammatory response) which might place too much pressure on delicate tissues and your incision during healing. Prior to surgery, your surgeon will take your medical history and examine you in order to reveal possible problems like this, although they are often far from obvious. Your surgeon will let you know if you have any extra risks due to your health or the current condition of your nose. If he or she thinks the chance of surgical complications is too high, they will recommend against surgery.

If your surgeon (and you) decide that the applicable risks are acceptable, meaning your likely benefit from surgery outweighs the risks, you go forward. A certain amount of swelling is completely normal during healing after revision rhinoplasty surgery in NJ. Excessive post-surgical swelling, if it did occur, could affect healing time and also affect scarring or distort the final shape of your nose. Experienced rhinoplasty specialists work as gently as possible with delicate nasal tissue during surgery, precisely to help prevent excessive tissue trauma and inflammation reactions from causing problems.

When excessive inflammation occurs despite efforts to prevent it, your surgeon will minimize it through treatment during your recovery as much as possible. The basic treatment for swelling is sleeping in an elevated position and using ice or frozen peas. Your surgeon can also take additional measures such as steroid injections or other appropriate methods to combat excessive swelling and scar tissue. Other surgical complications are handled in a similar way: prevention through experience and planning – and if a complication should occur, quick identification and proper treatment.

What if my primary rhinoplasty surgeon says nothing is wrong with my nose?

It’s still your nose! In other words, you should not just “live with it” if there’s still a problem (or if a new problems shows up) after your primary rhinoplasty. Your primary surgeon may not have the skills or desire to do revision rhinoplasties since these surgeries can be complex. Alternatively, he or she may feel insulted or just uncomfortable admitting that a problem exists.

In either case, you don’t want a reluctant person operating on you. Get an opinion from a plastic surgeon specializing in revision rhinoplasty in NJ to see if your goals for your nose’s appearance and function can be achieved. A new surgeon can offer a more objective perception of the current state of your nose and can likely offer more options for correction.

What if my nose is too small after my primary nose job? Can revision rhinoplasty provide a solution?

It depends upon the specific case, but grafts are often used in revision rhinoplasty to build up areas that have collapsed or are not evenly balanced. Grafts can be taken from your ear, your nasal septum or even your ribcage. Each source of graft has its pros and cons.

Your surgeon will use the source that makes the most sense in your case. If a large area of the nose must be rebuilt, such as a major portion of the bridge, rib cartilage may be chosen, since more can be removed from that area. Taking cartilage from the rib is more invasive, however. Ear cartilage may be the least prone to infection, but can also be brittle and a relatively small amount can be taken without affecting the ear’s shape.

Cartilage is then sculpted into the appropriate shape by your surgeon and grafted into position to complete your nasal surgery. Synthetic implants may be an option (for some patients) to repair a damaged nasal bridge, but can be problematic in the tip. Synthetic material could interfere with blood circulation in the nasal tip or thin the skin, which can cause skin loss or extrusion of the implant.

Your Customized Revision Rhinoplasty Surgery: Details Determine Price

The answers to many of the questions on this page contribute to the cost of revision rhinoplasty surgery in NJ. To learn important details including the price, schedule a consultation with an expert revision rhinoplasty surgeon. Only after the nasal damage or irregularity from your initial rhinoplasty is assessed and a plan is made for repairing your nose, can a price be determined.

Once your surgeon evaluates the complexity of your nasal repair, how long your procedure may take to perform, whether you will need a graft and what type, and other details, only then can price be thought of.

This may sound complicated, but it really isn’t. At Cohen/Winters Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery in Bergen County, we offer a no-charge consultation, which will include a personalized plan for your revised nasal surgery tailored to your needs and goals. We can also answer other questions you have and give you an accurate price. You can accomplish all this in one completely free consultation, so when you are ready to learn more, please contact us.

revision rhinoplasty NJ

Dr. Winters

About Dr. Winters

Dr. Winters specializes in primary, revision, reconstructive, functional and teenage rhinoplasty surgeries. Dr. Winters is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and maintains active memberships in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and others.